USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > Records of the First church of Rockingham, Vermont : from its organization, October 27, 1773, to September 25, 1839 > Part 1
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RECORDS OF THE
1 t Church - OF -
ROCKINGHAM, VT. 1773-1839
PECK
BX7150 R7F5 A2
7.25.03.
Library of the Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J.
Purchased by the Mrs. Robert Lenox Kennedy Church History Fund.
Division BX7150
Section RTF5 AR
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Old Church at Rockingham, Vermont. (Begun 1767.) Exterior.
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Old Church at Rockingham, Vermont. (Begun 1787.) Interior.
RECORDS
OF THE
FIRST CHURCH
OF
ROCKINGHAM, VERMONT,
FROM ITS ORGANIZATION, OCTOBER 27: 1773, TO SEPTEMBER 25, 1839.
COPIED BY
THOMAS BELLOWS PECK,
With an Historical Introduction.
Reprinted from the New-England Historical and Genealogical Register.
BOSTON: PRESS OF DAVID CLAPP & SON. 1902.
Copyright, 1902, by THOMAS B. PECK.
Two hundred copies printed.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE FIRST CHURCH IN ROCKINGHAM, VT.
Rockingham, in Windham County, Vermont, is one of 129 townships west of and near the Connecticut River which were granted by Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire, between 1749 and 1764, and were known as the " New Hampshire Grants." The unfortunate contro- versy between New York and New Hampshire as to their jurisdiction over these townships has been fully treated by able historians and need not be discussed here. Whatever the merits of the controversy, New Hampshire was first on the field, and as a result the towns granted by Governor Went- worth were settled by families of the same names and lineage and from the same neighborhood as the towns on the east side of the river. The gran- tees came mainly from the frontier towns of Worcester County, Massachu- setts, and were re-enforced somewhat later by settlers coming from towns in the Valley of the Connecticut, lying further south, which in their turn had been settled chiefly by emigrants from Massachusetts.
The charter of Rockingham bears date Dec. 28, 1752, and granted a territory of six miles square in 74 equal shares, 69 to inhabitants of "New Hampshire and his Majtys other Governments," two to Governor Went- worth, and one each for "the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign Parts," for " the first Settled Minister of the Gospel in said Town," and for " a Glebe for the Ministry of the Church of England." Among the names of the 69 grantees are many familiar in the early history of Lunenburg, Mass., such as Bellows, Willard, Wetherbe, Gardner, Farns- worth, Hastings and others. The first meeting of proprietors was called March 28, 1753, by Col. Benjamin Bellows of Walpole, himself a former resident of Lunenburg, who was chosen moderator, and as clerk kept the proprietors' records for many years. A second meeting of proprietors was held at the house of Mr. Jonathan Bigelow, May 29, 1754, but little pro- gress was made in the settlement of the town until the close of the French and Indian War. A meeting of proprietors was held at the house of Mr. Michael Lovell, July 17, 1760, and in the following year the township was laid out and divided by lot among the original grantees or persons who had purchased or otherwise acquired their rights. In 1765, " Michael Lovell and Benjamin Bellows, Jr., two of the principal proprietors, declared that there were twenty-five families settled in town, and further that they had made sufficient improvements to fulfil the conditions of the charter." (Hall's
iv
"History of Eastern Vermont," p. 101.) The first regular census taken by the Sheriff of Cumberland County, Jan. 16, 1771, showed a population of 225, there being 50 heads of families.
The township of Rockingham, lying along the west bank of the Con- necticut River, is traversed by two other streams, Williams River, which flows diagonally from northwest to southeast through the central part of the town, and unites with the Connecticut about three miles north of Bel- lows Falls, and Saxton's River, which traverses the south part of the town, and falls into the Connecticut about one mile south of Bellows Falls. The central part of the town is hilly and picturesque, while along the valleys of these three rivers are broad and fertile meadows. The early settlers chose as their home a beautiful spot near the centre of the town, at a consider- able elevation above the valley of Williams River. Here they built their houses and church, and about the village thus formed the life of the first half century of the existence of the town centred.
The story of the efforts to establish preaching and build a house of worship can be told in the quaint language of the early town and pro- prietors' records. At the first proprietors' meeting, March 28, 1753, Andrew Gardner, Benja Bellows, Jonathan Bigelow, Stephen Farnsworth and Asahel Stevens were chosen a committee "for to Lay out the Land Voted to be Laid out by ye Proprietors," and it was voted that the com- mittee " Lay out Six acres of Land for a Meeting house place." "House Lott No 3 in the North Range," containing 20 acres, was. "Laid out For the Use of the First Settled Minister."
August 18, 1761, it was " Voted that the Minister's Meadow Lot be Let out " and that the money be laid out in clearing said lot.
On the fourth article in the warrant for March 30, 1763, "to see if the town will grant any money to hier preaching the year Insuing," no action was recorded, but Timº Olcott and Abner Whipple were chosen Tithyng- men.
In 1765, it was voted that "the Ministers Lot be Let out to the highest Bidder," and that the rent be "Laid out In Making and Mending Roads."
In 1769, the article "to see if the Town will hier a Minister to preach with them the Summer ensuing " was negatived.
March 28, 1770, on the article "to see if the town will let Mr. Andrew Gardner have the Rent of the Ministers Lott," it was voted that "Seven- teen bushels of Indian corn be Delivered to the Revd Anderew Gardner by the Overseears out of the Rent that Nath" Davis ows to the Town." The corn was evidently intended as payment for Mr. Gardner's services as min- ister, and to him must be accorded the honor of having been the first min- ister of the town, previous to the organization of a church.
July 11, 1770, it was voted "to Disanull" the article "to see if the Town will agree on sum place for a Meeting house or Chuse a Committee for that End."
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March 28, 1771, "at the Now Dwelling house of Mr David Pulsiphers Innholder," it was voted that Mr. Gardner "have the Use of ye Ministers Lott ye year Ensuing."
June 20, 1771, the town voted "to build a meeting house fifty-five feet Long and forty-five feet wide," and chose " John Hastings and Simeon Ol- cott of Charlestown and Thomas Sparrhawk of Walepole to be a Committee to say where the meeting house shall be set."
Sept. 7, 1771, it was voted that " Oliver Lovell and Sam" Taylor be ye Committee To support M' Gardner and his wife ye 3 Months from the Date hereof," and Dec. 16, 1771, the account of the Committee was al- lowed. It is probable that this entry marks the expiration of Mr. Gard- ner's term as minister of Rockingham .*
March 25, 1772, it was voted "to Let out ye Ministers Lott to the high- est bidder " and that " Moses Wright be aLoud Eight Shilings bay money " for " Going after M' hardin t when he preacht in Rockingham."
April 23, 1772, the Committee's choice of a lot for a meeting house was disapproved, and it was voted that " the Meeting house be Set on the hill West of David Pulsiphers house about thirty or forty Rods."
August 25, 1773, it was voted to " Build a small house 35 feet Long and 25 feet wide * * for a meeting house till the town be able to Build a Larger," and that " Peter Evans Jun' Samuell Taylor John Lovell be a Committee to Build said house."
October 27, 1773, the church was organized, and Mr. Samuel Whiting was ordained as the first pastor.
November 24, 1773, it was voted " to Raise forty pounds York money to Defray the Charges of Building a meeting house."
October 19, 1774, it was voted to add five feet to the width and one foot and ten inches to the height, and that " the trustees find four Galonds of Rum to Raise and frame said house."
December 12, 1774, town meeting was held for the first time in the meeting house, and it was voted that " the Meeting house be excepted and the Committees accompts be aLoud ; " also, " that there be a Roe of Wall
* Rev. Andrew Gardner, one of the original grantees of Rockingham, was the first minister of Lunenburg, Mass., from 1728 to 1732. We learn from Hon. E. S. Stearns's sketch of Lunenburg, in the " History of Worcester County," that after his dismissal, Nov. 3, 1732, he was employed as " Grammar School Master," and became a large owner of land in Lunenburg. In 1737, he removed to Winchester, N. H., where he had an honorable career. He was occasionally employed as chaplain at Fort Dummer. In 1746, he removed to Charlestown, N. H., and in 1761, was first on the list of gran- tees of Bath, N. H. Mr. Stearns says that he removed to Bath about 1765, but his resi- dence in Rockingham in 1771 makes it necessary to change this date to a few years later.
t Rev. Elisha Harding, a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1745, was or- . dained in Brookfield, Mass., Sept. 13, 1749, and dismissed at his own request, May 8, 1755. " He is described as a gentleman of great benevolence, a man of singular pro- bity and solid learning." (Temple's " History of North Brookfield," p. 223.) It is not known at what date Mr. Harding removed to Walpole, N. H., but he resided there for many years as chaplain, in the family of Col. Benjamin Bellows, the founder of the town. He died in Walpole, Dec. 8, 1784, in the 76th year of his age. His gravestone, in the village cemetery there, describes him as " Once Minister of Brookfield."
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Pews Round the meeting house and eight pews in the middle and three seats each side the Alley next the pulpit ; " also, " chose Oliver Lovell Esq" and Ensign Peter Evans and Sert Jonathan burtt Trustees to expend the money which is voted to be Raised In and about the meeting house."
In town meeting January 5, 1781, it was voted "Unanimously to ex- cept the Revd MT Samuel Whiting to be their settled minister Agreable to the Constitution of this State," and to pay him " His Salary yearly agreable to a former Agreement made by him and the people as Long as he Remains their minister."
August 26, 1782, it was voted that "Maj" Oliver Lovell Git the Deed acknowledged that David pulsipher Deseast Gave the Town to Set the meeting house on." In the record of the same meeting the following ap- pears : " Also I have with three more bought the Ground where the meet- ing house Stands with the Burying Yeard the Same was made a present to the Town by us namely William Simonds David pulsipher Charles Rich- ards Nath" Davis all to settle peace and Good harmony."
December 30, 1782, the town chose " a Committee of seven men to Con- verse with the Revd M' Sam" Whiting Respecting the obligation the Signers Gave him. The above Committee that were Chosen Ware Joshua Webb, Oliver Lovell, peter Evans Jehial Webb Jonathan Burt William Simonds John Lovell and the above Committee to make Report of their Doings on the Second Monday of Janavary next." The report of this com- mittee, which was accepted by the town, consisted of the following letter from Mr. Whiting, which has enough historical and personal interest to warrant printing :
" At the Request of a Committee Chosen to Treat with me in behalf of the Town to Know How I would Chuse to be Supported, I would hereby Declare my Concurance with the Vote of the Town at a meeting on Jany 1781 as to the mauner of my Support and Do Consider the sd Vote of the town to accept of me as their settled minister and to Give me an Annual Salary agreable to the former Covenant from a number of the Inhabitants of this Town as a satisfac- tory Security for my futer Supportt and am Ready and willing to Give up the Obligation I now have from the Subscribers as soon as I am paid or Secured as to what Remains Due on the same. And I thank you Gentn of this Town for the Regard you have Shoon me in accepting me as your minister and Rejoyce with you in the more Equitable moad that this State has provided for the sup- portt of the Gospell and it would be agreable to me if the Town would pass a particular Vote to be Recorded that you Quit all Clame and title to that Right of Land which I am now in possession of and that You do Consider it to be secured to me and my Heirs by the Charter of this Town and that you will afford your Endeavors and assistance that I may peaceably possess and hold the same More than which I have Nothing to ask at present but your prayers for me and United Endeavors with me for Our Peace Good Regulation wellfair and Happiness as a Town and Society
SAMI WHITING
To the Gentlemen of the Town of Rockingham January 13th, 1783"
[NOTE - The errors in spelling in this communication were probably not made by Mr. Whiting, who was a thorough scholar, but are chargeable to the carelessness of the town clerk.]
MAIN ENTRANCE OF ROCKINGHAM MEETING HOUSE. Sketched from a photograph.
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After accepting the report of the committee, the town passed the follow- ing vote :
" Voted that this town Haveing Chosen and accepted of the Revd Sam11 Whiting as their minister and the sd Sam11 Whiting haveing Concurd with us herein and accepted of the Anavel Supportt offered Do Consider the Right of Land Granted in the Charter of the Town by the province of Newhampshire to the first settled minister to be the sd Sam" Whitings and that the Town Do Quitt all supposed Right or Title to the Same being Knoon and Lotted out upon the plan by the Name of the Minister's Right and will afford their Endevors and assistance that the said Sam11 Whiting Peaceably and Quietly Possess hold and Injoy the Same."
November 3, 1783, Jonas Hazelton was chosen collector "to colect the Revd Mr Sam" Whitings Rate for the [year] 1780."
April 10, 1787, the following votes were passed in regard to building the present meeting house :
" 2ly Voted that the Committee appointed by the Legislature of the State of Vermont to Build a town House in Rockingham are Directed to sell pews in said house to the highest Bider for to raise money to be Laid out for the purpose of finishing sd House.
3ly Voted that the Committee Build the town House Just as Large as Charlestown Meeting House as to the square of it.
4ly Voted to Build two porches one at each end.
5ly Voted to have the plan of the inside of sd House agreable to the in- side of the Meeting House in Charlestown.
Sly Voted to have the pews finished which are sold with the money which is given for sd Pews."
At an adjourned town meeting, held April 24, 1787, it was “ Voted to reconsider the 3ª vote (relative to the Bigness of the town House)."
" Voted to Build the town house forty four feet wide and fifty six feet Long."
March 5, 1792, on the article in the warrant "to see what use the Town will agree to Put the Town house to in sd town Voted that it shall be ap- propriated to the use of publick worship & Town meetings." At the same meeting it was voted " that the Congregational Society have their propor- tion of Time in said house ; also the Baptist, also the Episcopalian's Church though not formed into a Society." The use of the house was denied to the society of Universalists, but at a meeting held May 2, 1796, it was voted " that the Universalists shall have their proportionable Share of time in the meeting house according to what they have paid and bring in their Teacher on the first Day of the Week."
January 7, 1793, a committee was chosen to sell the old meeting house.
May 2, 1796, a committee was chosen " to Receive subscriptions towards finishing the meeting house."
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March 20, 1797, the town "chose David Pulsipher Samuel Cutler John Pulsipher James Walker Daniel Weaver a Committee to see who are will- ing to finish the meeting house in Rockingham."
March 19, 1798, money was voted to fence the burying ground.
At the same time the painting and glazing of the meeting house were put up at auction.
September 24, 1799, the town chose a committee of five to procure sub- scriptions for finishing the meeting house.
March 1, 1802, it was voted "to pay Mr Samuel Whiting the amount of arrears 166 dollars 67 cents."
March 1, 1803, the key of the meeting house was struck off to the lowest bidder, James Marsh, who agreed to act as sexton for $2.50 per year.
February 4, 1809, Rev. Mr. Whiting addressed a letter to the Select- men requesting them to insert an article in the warrant for town meeting, asking for his dismissal. The following extracts from the letter, reprinted from the " Bellows Falls Times " of July 20, 1860, throw considerable light upon his character and history. He says :
" I am led to make the above request of the town for reasons very different and distant from any neglect in the people to encourage my services among them, although I confess it is hard on many accounts to use my endeavors to keep up a ministerial dignity and the stated worship of God on the Sabbath, when there are so few who attend upon my public ministry. But it appears to me that with the utmost exertions my usefulness must be nearly closed, and my health and spirits are considerably impaired. I consequently have some wishes to try to repair them by some journeys and relaxations from business. Perhaps some may suppose there is no need of any formality in my dismission under present circumstances, and while the civil law makes no provision, as it is gen- erally understood, for the support of a settled minister, I always had, and still have, some scruples as to the propriety and duty of a minister leaving his people without some formality aud agreement of parties, when the relation and con- nection had been formed with so much seriousness and solemnity as in our usual ordinations.
There are few among us now to remember the solemnity, affection and reli- gious feeling existing at my ordination in this place. Most of those, who were the principal actors and spectators in that early and infant state of the town, are dead, and I who have survived attended their remains to the silent grave. There are some, however, who survive with me, and I trust it would be most agreeable to their feelings that there should be some friendly and formal disso- lution of the connection between us as pastor and people, and that there should be no appearance of strife or contention between us; besides, I think this would be most honorable to the town and conducive to an honorable and speedy re- establishment of the ministry here, among a people become numerous and wealthy. This appears but a small degree of honor from the town to me when it is considered what ferments and collisions both in religion and politics have taken place, and that I have been called to pass through them all in the course of my ministry here. I, alone, remain standing in the ministry of this State of all those who were ordained before me."
The town chose a committee, consisting of William Hall, Jr., Elijah Knight and Alexander Campbell, to confer with Mr. Whiting, and later voted to grant him an honorable dismissal. He was dismissed by the church at a council held May 18, 1809, but continued to reside in Rocking- ham until his death.
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The next pastor, Rev. Elijah Wollage, was settled Nov. 6, 1818, and re -. mained a little more than three years.
Rev. Samuel Mason began preaching Aug. 1, 1836, was ordained as pas- tor Jan. 3, 1837, and was dismissed by a council, Aug. 22, 1838.
Rev. Broughton White, " an aged, worthy minister," served as pastor for a short time in 1839, but does not appear to have been settled.
There appear to have been no regular religious services in the o'd church after the time of Mr. White. With the decline of the village of Rocking- ham, and the rise of the villages of Saxton's River and Bellows Falls, the churches established in those villages, in 1825 and 1850 respectively, seem to have supplied the religious needs of the town. Occasional meetings are still held in the summer in the old church, and town meetings continued to be held there until about thirty years since. On account of its age and historical interest, as well as the picturesqueness of the ancient village which reposes at the base of the elevation, crowned by the old church and the adjacent burial ground, the venerable edifice draws many visitors an- nually, and it is hoped that it may be restored by the town and long pre- served as a memorial of the early settlers. The half-tone frontispiece, re- produced from recent photographs by F. J. Blake, of Bellows Falls, gives a correct idea of its exterior and interior appearance at the present time.
It now remains to give some account of the three settled ministers of the church.
Rev. Samuel Whiting, the first settled minister, was son of Joseph Whiting of that part of Wrentham which was set off as Franklin, Mass., and his wife Mary. He was born (according to Blake's "History of the Town of Franklin," page 190) in March, 1750. According to "Farmer," he was born in Wrentham, Mass., Jan. 28, 1750. Although there is some confusion in authorities, it is tolerably clear, from the authors quoted above, as well as from the records of Dedham, Mass., and from records in the pos- session of the widow of a grandson of Mr. Whiting, that he was descended from Nathaniel1 Whiting of Dedham, the emigrant, and his wife Hannah Dwight. The line runs through Joseph,4 of Franklin (called by Blake " the precinct member "), born Dec. 7, 1702, and his wife Mary ; Samuel,8 born June 18, 1671, and his wife Mary; and Nathaniel,2 Jr., eldest child of Nathaniel, the emigrant, born Aug. 7, 1644, and his wife, Joanna Gay, of Dedham. Mr. Whiting graduated from Harvard Col- lege in 1769, received the degree of A.M. from Yale College in 1772, and was ordained pastor of the church in Rockingham, Oct. 27, 1773. He was a man of learning, had a clear style of writing, was faithful and earnest in the discharge of his duties as a minister, and was broad and liberal in his religious views. He is described as having been kind and genial in manner ; had a keen sense of humor and was ready in repartee; was regarded by his brother ministers as a wise counsellor, and was fre-
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quently called upon to preside over councils of churches. We quote the following from a letter received from a member of the family : "That he was liberal in his views may be inferred from this : on one occasion when he needed some one to assist him in his work he chose a young student from the Baptist church, and also from the fact that he always attended church after the close of his work, no matter what the faith of the preacher, and, when asked the reason why, replied 'they may be right and I be wrong.' He was spoken of as a scholarly, thoughtful sermonizer but closely confined to his written manuscript." Soon after settling in Rockingham, he came into possession of the land set apart for the first settled minister, and by prudent management was able to bring up his large family upon his salary and the income of his land, and to live independently after the close of his ministry. His residence may still be seen on the road to Chester, about half a mile north-west of the church, and is a commodious house well ele- vated above the highway and still in good preservation. As far as known, his only printed work is an election sermon delivered at Windsor, Vt., Oct. 12, 1797.
Mr. Whiting was married, May 24, 1774, to Mary, daughter of John and Abigail (Metcalf) Goldsbury, of Warwick, Mass. Her father died in War- wick, July 25, 1802, and her mother died Sept. 5, 1821. Mr. Whiting died in Rockingham, May 16, 1819, in his 70th year. His wife died Aug. 7, 1799, in her 45th year. Their gravestones may be seen in the burying ground just behind the ancient church, and near them are the gravestones of their children, Samuel, the two Marys, Eleutheria and Abigail.
Their children, as recorded in the town records, were :
i. MARY, b. Aug. 19, 1776; d. Aug. 14, 1777.
ii. SAMUEL, b. Jan. 25, 1778; a graduate of Dartmouth, 1799; A.M. ; a lawyer; d. Nov. 23, 1806.
iii. MARY, b. Jan. 20. 1780; d. March 24, 1781.
iv. ABIGAIL, b. Dec. 23, 1782; d. June 3, 1807.
v. BENONI, b. Oct. 6, 1784; d. at birth.
vi. JOIN GOLDSBURY, b. Aug 3, 1785.
vii. ELEUTHERIA, b. Nov. 24, 1789; d. March 21, 1808.
viii. THEOPHILUS, b. April 14, 1792.
ix. JOSEPH, b. Nov. 16, 1797.
Rev. Elijah Wollage, the second minister, was son of Elijah and Polly Wollage, and was born at Bernardston, Mass., April 13, 1769. He gradu- ated from Dartmouth College in 1791. Previous to his pastorate in Rock- ingham, he was pastor of Congregational churches in Guilford and Cam- bridge, Vt. He removed from Rockingham to the State of New York, and became principal of Academies in several towns. He resumed preaching in 1835, and died in Starkey, N. Y., July 18, 1847. He married Sally P., daughter of Amos Babcock of Westmoreland, N. H., and had five children, one of whom, Elijah, was a Presbyterian minister in Arkansas.
Rev. Samuel Mason, the third minister, was born in Cavendish, Vt., Sept. 9, 1797. He was son of Daniel,5 and Betsey (Spaulding) Mason, of that
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